Experimental study on phosphorus removal performance from water by SW-ceramsite in a fixed-bed column
Tianpeng Li1,2, Tingting Sun3, Zhan Chen4
1College of City and Architecture Engineering, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, Shandong, China. tianpeng985@126.com.
Scientific Reports
|November 28, 2025
Summary
Solid waste ceramsite effectively removes phosphorus from water in fixed-bed columns. Optimized conditions achieved long breakthrough times, and the Yoon-Nelson model best described the removal process, showing potential for wastewater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Materials Science
- Water Treatment
Background:
- Phosphorus pollution is a significant environmental concern, necessitating efficient removal methods.
- Solid waste ceramsite (SW-ceramsite) shows promise as an adsorbent material for pollutants.
- Fixed-bed column systems are widely used for continuous water treatment processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phosphorus removal performance of SW-ceramsite in a fixed-bed column.
- To determine the optimal operating conditions for phosphorus removal.
- To evaluate the applicability of different kinetic models and the regenerative ability of SW-ceramsite.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of pretreated SW-ceramsite (BET surface area, point of zero charge, pore volume, etc.).
- Fixed-bed column experiments to evaluate phosphorus removal under various conditions.
- Kinetic modeling (Adams-Bohart, Yoon-Nelson) and Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) for performance evaluation.
- Regeneration studies to assess the reusability of SW-ceramsite.
Main Results:
- Optimized conditions (pH 5, 5 mg/L P, 323 K, 40 mL/min flowrate) yielded breakthrough (80 h) and saturation (155 h) times.
- The Yoon-Nelson model provided a better fit for the breakthrough curve (BTC) than the Adams-Bohart model.
- GRA confirmed the significant influence of initial pH, concentration, and temperature on phosphorus removal.
- SW-ceramsite demonstrated a certain regenerative ability, with reduced performance after eight cycles.
Conclusions:
- SW-ceramsite is a viable adsorbent for phosphorus removal from aqueous solutions in fixed-bed columns.
- The Yoon-Nelson model accurately describes the phosphorus adsorption dynamics.
- Operational parameters significantly impact removal efficiency, and GRA is a useful tool for analysis.
- The material exhibits potential for reuse, though regeneration efficiency decreases over cycles.
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